The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-04-30
MONDAY, APRIL IS.


MONDAY, APRIL 1S.
The Institute was called to order on
program time by the President, Rev.
Amos Crum. Prayer by Rev. w. S.
Ralph. The criticism and review of
Saturdays work followed. Rev. L. J.
Dinsmore reaG paper on
"The Function of the Home"
He remarked in substance The
home is divine. 1t is not mere cave
in the hill, not merely material en-
vironment. Religion and poetry and
art have alike testified to it's divineness.
The Christian home is the secret of
Christian civilization. The mother has
great influence in shaping the desti-
MES of the children. Whatever imper-
lis the home, imperils all the fortunes
of the world. Other forces there are
whose results are entirely bad. The
pioneer came that he might build a
home. Generations succeeding have
been swept off their feet by the wide
passion for money. Character is little
in the calculations of the gilded youth
of our day.
The Christian church must recognize
what is dark and sad in the social order.
1t can save the home by inspiring a
consciousness of those principles which
purify aud exalt it. Manhood, not
money, makes the home. Manhood
alone is eternal. The church has too
largely preferred money to character.
Its sympathy should DE with men.
The home falls with the fall of domes-
tic affairs. AS touching divorce, the
speaker thought the marriage relation
should be less easy to enter. Law should
demand evidence that the young man
is able to support family. Something
legal should be done for the wives and
mothers. Public sentiment is more
healthy now. Polygamy has fled to the
mountains to hide from civilization. In
temperance is lessening evil.
On the religious duty and influence
of the home, it was observed that a
genuine revival of religion may come
from the home alone. The family used
to be a church in itself. In our day,
it is sad fact that many children are
growing up without a word of religious
instruction save in the church and Sun
day-school. Children must be trained
into the habit of church going. More
necessary still is the religious instruc-
ton in the home. When the fathers
and mothers have passed on before, the
hands of the children will be ready to
take up the work of the Master.
Remarks Followed.
Miss Garard thought our homes
would be happier when our women are
made more thoughtful and caused to
cooperate with their husbands. We
exalt home as we exalt womanhood.
James Gorton thought wealth had
not done as much to destroy the purity
of the home as poverty. Love has, in
instances, died by poverty. Luxury
may help the home life.
G. E. Nash thought there had been
no more execrable influence to degrade
the home than that sentiment which
would excuse in man what it did not
excuse in woman. We expect women
to represent purity. But there is no ex-
euse for considering man less amen
able to the higher social laws.
Jacob Merrifield remarked, much Of
the misery of the home comes from the
lack of economy. The art of living
within our means is an art which the
American people have not learned.
Benjamin Drumming deplOred gamb-
ling. 1t is bringing homes to poverty.
w. S. Ralph had the suspicion that
family worship was declining in the
home generally. He had made inquiry
of some evangelical ministers, and
found it had declined even in those
sects. He considered the decline gener-
ally lamentable fact.
Mary I. Clark believed that woman's
work in the home was grander than
that of the man. She believed the
hOme-wOman has a grander place in
the world than the woman who goes
out and assumes duties outside the
home.
DR.. RexfOrd thoughtthe religious at
mosphere Of the home was more import
ant than formality. L. II. Squires
agreed with him; the spirit is more than
the form. Charles Conklin, on the con-
trary, remarked that spirit viii express
itself in form.
Holmes Slade thought we need not
talk great deal about form. But !
there are some natural forms which !